No More Lies
by tiny.coco.chan
Summary: One thing that Hinata never wanted: attention. So she pretends to be just a shy wallflower. When Sasuke somehow gets closer to her, will she finally stop lying about who she is? *SasuHina*
1. Partners

**Eh, I wanted to do a fanfic where Hinata isn't just a shy, innocent child. **

**I'm not sure if I'll continue, but here it is!**

**Please Read and Review!**

* * *

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth/Lie: Explanation_

*/*/*/*/*

Reality

* * *

I stared into my bowl of cereal, dangerously close to falling asleep and drowning in the milk.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth:__ I'm not a morning person. At all._

_It used to piss off my family, but hey, I'm 16 years old._

_Deal with it. _

_*/*/*/*/*_

My short, black hair poofed out from my head in a tangled nest. I wasn't wearing makeup; I had stopped using it after discovering it gave me rashes. Plus, I hid inside my favorite oversized sweatshirt like always. Overall, I looked like crap, unlike my fashion-conscious sister.

Hanabi sat next to me in a skin-baring ensemble, complaining about the nutrition of a bowl of cereal.

"This crap is like 5,000 calories!" she shrieked, tossing her glossy, brown hair for a dramatic effect. "How am I supposed to fit into my new miniskirt after breakfast?"

"I'm the one eating it, not you," I pointed out, wondering how we were sisters.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie: Hanabi and I are the exact same. _

_Truth: __Hanabi, unlike me, wants people to notice her naturally good looks._

_She constantly reapplies lip gloss and diets almost to the point of anorexia. _

_She has also inherited the long, luxurious Hyuuga hair that never frizzes. _

_Even though she's only 11 years old, she's way better looking._

_And more confident._

_*/*/*/*/*_

Speaking of confidence, Mr. Confident himself strode into the kitchen.

"You shouldn't be concerned about your weight, Hanabi," Neji stated as he sat down across from me with a peeled banana in his hand. "Or wearing those type of clothes."

"It's better than dressing in that," Hanabi rolled her eyes as she pointed at my outfit.

Well, excuse me for not looking like a slut! In fact, I dressed like the exact opposite of one. On purpose, of course.

My so-called sister then left for school, skipping breakfast altogether. Again.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth: __I am Hinata Hyuuga, the daughter of Hiashi Hyuuga, the sister of Hanabi Hyuuga, and the cousin of Neji Hyuuga._

_Lie: __I love being a Hyuuga._

*/*/*/*/*

Neji and I ate breakfast in silence. Actually, it was just Neji who was eating; I just continued to stir my bowl of cereal. The soggy, chocolate chunks looked like crap, literally. There was no way I was going to eat something diarrhea-like. I dumped the contents of my breakfast into the sink.

"That's a waste of food," he pointed out.

Then he got up, threw away his banana peel, and left for school.

"You're a waste of life," I mumbled, letting my morning grouchiness get the best of me.

I reluctantly followed my cousin to school.

* * *

"Okay," Kakashi-sensei said lazily, "how about let's just have a little reading time today? You guys deserve a break from diagramming sentences."

The class cheered him on for being so understanding of a teenager's needs. I silently groaned when I noticed that he pulled out a copy of Icha Icha Tactics and hungrily started reading. Why was I cursed to have such a perverted teacher?

"I don't have a book to read!" Naruto yelled aloud.

On cue, a blush appeared oh-so-noticeably across my pale face. My stuttering kicked in automatically.

"Y-y-you can b-borrow my b-book," I said quietly as I held out Memoirs of a Geisha.

I knew my offering wouldn't really suffice. Naruto probably preferred comic books, but I offered it anyway just in case.

After eyeing the novel he declared, "Sorry, Hinata, but that has too many pages. It'll make my brain hurt."

"O-okay," I squeaked as I looked down in disappointment.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie: __I have a crush on Naruto Uzumaki._

_Truth:_ _I pretend to have one in order to hide the truth about my real crush, Sasuke Uchiha._

_After all, I can't risk having Sasuke pay any attention to me._

_Since he's the most popular guy in school, all of the girls would pay attention to me too._

_They wouldn't like it if I stole Sasuke from them._

_IF I even did, which I never will. Too risky._

*/*/*/*/*

"Oh, Sakura! Can I borrow your book?" Naruto grinned at the pink-haired beauty.

"Get away from me, Naruto!" Sakura Haruno shouted.

"I know you want me," he muttered.

She smacked him before turning to Sasuke and squealing, "Sasuke! Your lips look so sexy today! Mind if I inspect them?"

I felt like bitch-slapping her, but decided to stay in my seat. After all, I couldn't have people staring at me, wondering what possessed me to actually do something other than sit and draw.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie:__ I'm shy._

_Truth:__ I pretend to be shy… because of him._

_I tend to pretend a lot; I guess you can call it lying._

*/*/*/*/*

As always, Sasuke ignored Sakura's attempts to flirt with him. As always, I sighed in relief. For now, he was still single.

"You know what? You guys are too noisy," Kakashi-sensei suddenly spoke to the class, eyes occasionally drifting to his perverted book. "I change my mind. We're going to diagram sentences."

He paused as the class started to groan.

"Fine, _we're_ not going to diagram sentences. _You're_ going to diagram sentences. Alone," he threatened, looked at his book, then softened. "With partners."

He scribbled a couple of random sentences onto the board as everybody started pairing off. Chouji and Shikamaru. Kiba and Shino. Gaara and Kankuro. Temari and TenTen. Of course, I didn't have any friends in class, so I was alone. Unless…

I looked at Naruto and stuttered, "N-naruto? Do y-you want to b-be-"

"Sorry, Hinata! I'm already partners with Sakura," he interrupted with a sloppy grin.

"Hell no! I'm partners with Sasuke!" Sakura screeched as she grabbed onto the Uchiha's biceps. "Oh, Sasuke, have you been working out?"

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie:_ _It didn't bother me at all how Sakura openly flirted with Sasuke._

*/*/*/*/*

He brushed her off and stated, "I'm working alone."

She squealed, "But Kakashi-sensei said we need partners!"

"Fine," he grunted. "I'm partners with Hinata."

Sakura and I gasped at the same time, both surprised. Sakura looked like she wanted to strangle me while I tried not to smile.

"Her? But she doesn't even talk!" she pouted.

*/*/*/*/*

_That's a lie…_

*/*/*/*/*

"Exactly," he smirked as he gathered his belongings and sat next to me.

*/*/*/*/*

…_but if it drew him to me, I wouldn't mind pretending._

_I would just have to be careful to not let him get too close, though._

*/*/*/*/*

"Since we're partners, you're going to have to talk," Sasuke stated.

"O-okay," I said, barely audible.

"Let's do number one," he sighed.

We worked well together, not saying any more than we had to.

I even remembered to add the appropriate amount of stuttering. Too much would make him think I like him. Too little would ruin my disguise of shyness.

As we diagramed the sentences, I couldn't help but think we were bonding. This pleased me and worried me at the same time.

"Do you like Naruto?" Sasuke asked suddenly.

I blushed, "U-um... w-why?"

"It seems like you do," he shrugged, "though I don't know why. He's annoying."

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie: __I disagreed with Sasuke._

*/*/*/*/*

"N-no he's n-not!" I argued. "N-n-naruto is v-very nice!"

"So you do like him," Sasuke smirked.

*/*/*/*/*

_That's definitely a lie._

*/*/*/*/*

"A l-little," I whispered.

"Good," he grunted. "I hate it when girls are obsessed with me, like Sakura."

I winced at that statement. What would Sasuke think if he found out that I too was a fangirl? Well, I couldn't let him find out anyway.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth:__ Lying always ends up hurting you._

_I just had to pretend to be shy, though._

_I had to pretend to blend into the background, to be a wallflower._

_I couldn't be noticed by anyone, even if I did like Sasuke._

_Kiba… He was the one who made me like this…_

_Lie: __It wasn't my fault for letting Kiba hurt me._

*/*/*/*/*

"B-but Sakura likes y-you," I mentioned.

"That's the problem. I'm not interested in looking for a girlfriend right now," Sasuke stated, "especially one who's addicted to touching my hair."

"O-okay," I squeaked, embarrassed because I had daydreams of running my fingers through his locks like Sakura did.

"Hey, Sasuke! You're already done with your sentences? You're so smart! Come help me with my work; my partner doesn't know a thing," Sakura butted in and grabbed his wrist. "Maybe you can tutor me sometime!"

I looked down and mumbled, "Thanks f-for being my p-partner."

"It's better being with the mute than Sakura," he said to himself, but I heard him.

Hell yeah!! He liked me better than Sakura!!

Hell no… I couldn't let this happen.

* * *

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth:__ Due to my illusion of shyness, I have no friends at my current school._

_That's why I call Ino, my friend from my previous school, so I don't feel too socially inept._

*/*/*/*/*

"He liked being my partner!" I gushed into the phone while doodling in my sketchbook. "He thinks I'm better than that bitch Sakura!"

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie:_ _After moving to Konoha High, I decided to start anew and changed everything about me._

_This includes adding shyness and subtracting hobbies._

_Truth:__ I couldn't bear to stop drawing._

_Without it, I would probably be even more insane than I already am._

*/*/*/*/*

After school, I had immediately dialed Ino's number and listened to her rant on how pointless learning math was. In turn, I described to her my total Sasuke-loves-me moment.

"You're so lucky you got a hottie crawling over you," Ino squealed.

"Actually, we didn't really talk," I admitted. "He thinks I'm shy."

I scribbled all over my sketch and turned to a fresh new page.

"Since when is Hinata Hyuuga the timid kind?" she fake gasped.

"Um, I've been pretending to be shy ever since I moved here a month ago," I explained.

"You need to forget him," Ino said seriously, shedding her usually playful demeanor.

I knew that she was implying about Kiba, not Sasuke. I stopped drawing for a second, looked at my work, and scribbled over it. Ugh, why was I screwing everything up?

"I'm sorry, but I can't," I said quietly. "I have to be shy and quiet now. I don't want anybody noticing me again, not after…Kiba."

"You don't want anybody noticing you? Not even Sasuke?" she inquired.

"Well," I hesitated. "I can't trust him; I can't trust anybody."

"He's not like Kiba; nobody can be as jerky as him," Ino insisted.

"Yeah," I agreed, clutching my pencil. "It's too bad I found that out the hard way."

"Hinata, you have to forget him," Ino said. "You have to be yourself."

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth: __Ino was right; I shouldn't lie about who I am because of something Kiba did to me a month ago._

_Lie:__ I followed her advice._

*/*/*/*/*

* * *

**Sorry if it's a bit confusing...**

**Hope you liked it! ^_^**


	2. Picture Day Sucks

**The updates on this story might be a little slow.**

**(My definition of slow is about once every 1-2 weeks haha.)**

**I just don't think that it's that good of a plot/story/thing.**

**Ah, idk, I better just shut up now.**

**Please Read and Review! ^_^**

* * *

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth/Lie: Explanation_

Reality

*/*/*/*/*

* * *

After escaping another silent car ride with Neji, I clutched my backpack as I entered Konoha High. Even though I had only been there for a month, I already hated it. I especially hated today.

*/*/*/*/*

_False__: I'm photogenic._

_True__: I am practically allergic to cameras, both video and photo._

_My smile always ends up looking like a half-grimace._

_The flash turns my eyes a sinister red instead of my natural lavender shade._

_Well, that's IF my eyes are open, which they're usually not._

_That's why I absolutely despise picture day._

*/*/*/*/*

"You guys are lucky; our class will be shortened today due to school photos," Kakashi-sensei mentioned once he looked up from Make-out Tactics. "So you can do whatever you want."

I knew that this was a language arts class and that it's good to read, but why did my teacher devour such perverted literature? I bet he liked to read yearbooks too, just so he could check out the students' boobs.

It's bad enough that I was stuck in a class taught by Kakashi-sensei, but it's pure torture to be in the presence of Sakura. Unfortunately, she was right in front of me, flirting as usual.

"Sasuke, I can't wait to see how your picture turns out; they always end up looking so sexy! You should be an underwear model! So are you boxers or briefs?" Sakura asked as she clung to Sasuke. "Can I check?"

"Leave me alone," he grunted as he peeled her off.

She squealed, "You're a boxers type of guy, aren't you? I knew it!"

"Hey, Sakura, do you want to check out my underwear?" Naruto grinned.

"Ew, hell no! Get away!" she shrieked, immediately kicking Naruto in the balls.

He bent over in pain and groaned as he sunk to the floor.

*/*/*/*/*

_False:__ I was appalled at what Sakura did to Naruto._

_I would never even think of laughing at something like that!_

*/*/*/*/*

"N-naruto!" I called out and rushed over to him. "A-are you o-okay?"

"I'm fine," he grunted, "but my little 'friend' down there isn't."

I didn't even have to pretend to blush. My face already colored itself a bright red. Why did I ever choose to fake a crush over Naruto?

"Well, your 'friend' deserved it, you perv!" Sakura huffed then turned to Sasuke. "So, Sasuke, I was wondering if you wanted to come to Shikamaru's party in two days?"

"I don't party," Sasuke stated. "Neither does Shikamaru."

"You do now! Oh, it's his girlfriend Temari that's throwing the party. She's just using Shikamaru's house," she giggled. "It starts at 10, so I'll see you there!"

*/*/*/*/*

_False__: I'm not jealous at all that Sakura and her popular friends are going to have a party._

_It doesn't even matter that Sasuke's invited too._

_I'm not allowed to let myself think about him anyway…_

*/*/*/*/*

"I don't party," Sasuke frowned again.

"Can I come?" Naruto barged in after he recovered from his injury.

"No!" she shrieked as she smacked Naruto in the head.

"Love hurts," Naruto groaned.

During that whole pointless conversation, I just watched and listened as always.

*/*/*/*/*

_True:__ I'm pretty much used to observing my classmates from the sidelines now._

_I mean, once you've been doing it for a month, it becomes second nature._

_Sometimes I wish that I could join their carefree conversations._

_I wish that I could be as expressive as Sakura and Naruto._

_Instead, I have to be as quiet and distant as Sasuke._

_Yeah, I'm accustomed to lying about who I really am, but that doesn't mean I like it._

_That doesn't mean I have a choice in what I do either._

*/*/*/*/*

"Oops, I guess I read too much; we're late," Kakashi-sensei laughed sheepishly. "Let's go to the cafeteria for the school photos."

"Sensei?" Sakura said sweetly with her hand raised. "May the girls go to the bathroom first to freshen up?"

"Er, why not?" our teacher agreed.

All of the girls stampeded out of the classroom in a frenzy—after all, there were a limited number of mirrors in the restroom—except for me. I took out my sketchbook and decided to doodle to pass the time.

"You're not like them," a voice stated.

I looked up and saw Sasuke's eyes piercing through me. My heart melted but instantly froze back up. I wasn't supposed to be drawing attention; this wasn't supposed to happen. Yet, there he was right in front of me.

"N-not like w-who?" I squeaked.

"You're not like most girls," he explained.

*/*/*/*/*

_That's definitely false!_

_I'm definitely the average expressive, boy-crazed, talkative chick…_

…_or I used to be._

*/*/*/*/*

"I k-know," I whispered while looking down.

"Why?" he demanded.

"I-is it w-wrong b-being different?" I stuttered.

"No, it's actually refreshing," Sasuke smirked. "It's not every day you see a girl who's obsessed with Naruto instead of me."

I instantly blushed and squeaked, "P-please don't t-tell him!"

"Relax," he said smoothly. "I didn't tell him before, and I won't tell him now. Although, he's such a dumbass to have not noticed it by now."

"D-don't make f-fun of him! N-naruto is actually a v-very strong p-person!" I insisted.

Okay, "strong" wasn't the best adjective to describe my fake crush. However, that was the first modifier that popped into my head. When you lie, you have to think fast.

"Strong?" Sasuke inquired.

"Y-yes. He n-never gives up and a-always g-gets back up on h-his feet," I stumbled over words.

*/*/*/*/*

_True:__ I'm thankful that I stutter whenever I pretend to be shy._

_It helps buy me some time when thinking of lies._

*/*/*/*/*

"Well, Sakura doesn't really appreciate his perseverance," he smirked, "but I know why you like him now. You want to be strong too."

I sighed, thankful that Sasuke just assisted me in making up some more lies without even realizing it.

"That's t-true," I admitted.

*/*/*/*/*

_False:__ Yeah, I love Naruto Uzumaki because he inspires me to become stronger!_

_True:__ Not._

*/*/*/*/*

"You don't need him to do that," he stated and walked away.

All of the girls started trickling back into the classroom. With so much makeup caked on, they looked like clowns. I noticed that some girls had even changed into sluttier outfits. I could tell that Kakashi-sensei would enjoy viewing this year's yearbook.

The class then headed toward the cafeteria. During that time, I didn't know whether I should sob or squeal. Sasuke just talked to me, and he was the one who even started our conversation.

*/*/*/*/*

_False:__ Sasuke talking to me goes against every fiber of my being._

_After all, I can't be noticed._

_Kiba… Though the wounds are invisible, he still has scarred me._

_I can't let anybody else do that._

_I can't let anybody get close to me, especially Sasuke._

_True:__ My heart tells me differently._

*/*/*/*/*

All of the students lined up, waiting for their turn to get their picture taken. The girls complimented each others' hair, makeup, and clothes, and then they gossiped about each other behind their backs. The guys chilled and talked about whatever guys talk about.

Me, I was freaking out. Pictures and Hinata Hyuuga do not mix. It didn't even help that the photographer looked really scary. He had a blonde ponytail with hair covering half of his face.

As I sat down on the stool in front of a blue background, the photographer chanted, "Smile for Deidara, yeah!"

I nervously shifted a glance around me. My eyes caught onto Sasuke's. He smirked at me as I squirmed under his gaze. I felt my cheeks heat up, and my lips puckered.

FLASH! The torturous camera blinded me, so I screamed.

"Now that's art, yeah!" the photographer beamed.

Damn picture day!

* * *

"He's totally into you, Hinata!" Ino squealed into the phone.

*/*/*/*/*

_True:__ Ino believes that Sasuke and I are meant to be, even if we're not._

_She's the type of person who will always support whoever your current crush is._

_When Kiba and I…_

_Yeah, she had even stuck with my poor decision, even if it was the worst one I ever made._

*/*/*/*/*

"This is only the second time that Sasuke and I have ever talked," I reminded her as I doodled in my sketchbook.

"Then you should start wearing your old clothes! Then he'll really want to talk to you," she directed. "Stop throwing on those random, old sweatshirts."

"Ino, I already told you; I can't be noticed," I explained.

"Well, Sasuke noticed you," she sang.

I clutched my pencil and cried, "That's the problem; I can't let him notice me! Now the whole school will start paying attention to me!"

"Look, Hinata! You can't let him change you like that!" Ino argued, referring to Kiba.

"He already has," I said sadly as I started tearing apart my drawing.

"Stop lying; I know the real Hinata's in there somewhere," she insisted.

"Let's not talk about this right now, okay?" I begged. "Please?"

"Fine, but you won't be able to lie forever," she sighed.

I threw away the torn scraps of my sketch into the trash can.

"School's been really boring without you," Ino whined. "I hate Suna High. Why did you have to move to stupid Konoha?"

"Hey, did you know that the Subakus moved to Konoha too?" I mentioned as I turned to a fresh page in my sketchbook. "Temari has a boyfriend named Shikamaru now!"

"No way! I thought she hated guys!" she laughed.

"Me too," I agreed. "Now she's even throwing a party using Shikamaru's house!"

"Ooo, you should go, Hinata!" Ino squealed. "Wear that cute miniskirt I bought for you for your birthday!"

"I gave it to Hanabi," I said quietly. "Sorry."

"That brat?!?" she screeched. "Why?!?"

"I just don't want to be seen wearing clothes like that anymore, okay?" I told her.

"You're impossible," Ino groaned.

*/*/*/*/*

_True that!_

*/*/*/*/*


	3. Nobody Likes Tacos and Naruto

**Wow, I'm sorry!!! I was such a liar (like Hinata haha)! ****Instead of 1-2 weeks, it took me over a month to update! **

**Anyway, I read over the first two chapters and was very disappointed by what I've written so far. ****Ugh, so many mistakes!!!!!**

**Hopefully, the rest of the story won't suck so much.**

**Please Read and Review! ^_^**

* * *

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth/Lie: Explanation_

Reality

*/*/*/*/*

* * *

The lunch line seemed to creep at a pace slower than the time Neji takes to wash his hair. Even though the cafeteria food sucked, I couldn't help but gaze longingly at it. I silently groaned as I looked at the number of people ahead of me. I then put my colorful vocabulary to use and cursed everyone in the line. How long does it take to pick out what crap to eat?

I started plotting ways to wipe out everybody in front of me. Fire. Flood. Lightning. Screams. Blood. An evil grin crept up on my face. However, I felt a hand on my shoulder. A scared expression replaced my smile as I whipped around and saw Sasuke.

"Quiet, but evil," he smirked. "Nice."

I stared at him in disbelief for a solid five minutes.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth:__Sasuke just caught me out of character._

_Plus, he just paid attention to me in one of the most social areas of the school: the cafeteria._

_NO!!!!!_

*/*/*/*/*

"I-I don't know what y-you're talking about," I blushed after I came out of my trance.

"Scoot up, the line's moving faster," he stated, apparently ending our 'conversation.'

I nodded in agreement, picked out a taco that leaked out who-knows-what, and hurriedly paid for my lunch.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie:__ I sit by myself in the cafeteria because I'm a loser who has no friends._

_I hate being alone._

*/*/*/*/*

I set my tray down with a satisfying thud onto the vacant table. It was the table closest to the girl's bathroom, a quick getaway just in case someone decided to sit near me. I eyed the inedible taco and poked it. Ew.

"Play with your food like you play with your boys?" a feminine voice asked.

I looked up to see Temari Subaku and Shikamaru Nara. Temari plopped down in the seat next to me with her boyfriend at her side. Shikamaru crossed his arms and slouched so low that I thought his face touched the floor. He started snoring lightly, and Temari looked at him in annoyance. She crossed her legs and leaned toward me.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie:__Yay! I love having people sit at my usually deserted lunch table!_

_I also love raisins in my cookies._

*/*/*/*/*

"Hinata, I didn't know you moved to Konoha too," Temari said. "You're so quiet now."

"Y-yes," I squeaked, hoping she'd buy my wallflower act.

"I don't believe it," she replied, her eyes narrowing. "I know you're acting."

"U-um, what d-do you mean?" I stuttered.

"You know what I mean," the sandy-haired girl said casually. "I just want to know why."

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth:__Temari is one of those people who know how to get what she wants._

_Ino is too, especially when it comes to getting deals on clothes._

_Now that I think of it, Kiba is too._

_Dang, everybody I know has everything they want, and I have nothing._

_Well, it's my fault because I chose that path._

*/*/*/*/*

"Kiba," I whispered.

Temari stared at me for a second, but didn't ask for me to elaborate. Everybody in Suna High knew what Kiba had done to me.

"Well, Shikamaru and I were wondering if you want to come over to our party tomorrow night," she smiled.

"I'm sorry, but I can't," I said firmly, deciding not to stutter. "I gave up that life ever since I moved to Konoha. I'm not a party girl anymore."

Since Temari knew the truth, there wasn't any point disguising who I really was, and her boyfriend Shikamaru didn't really care either.

"You're lucky you don't have to go," Shikamaru yawned. "It's going to be so troublesome."

"You're such a baby," she rolled her eyes and then looked at me, "and you are too. Kiba's just an asshole; all guys are. Well, Shikamaru's an exception since he's too lazy to be a jerk."

"Thanks," he said sarcastically.

"Please, Temari, I like being shy better," I pleaded.

"I'll invite Naruto," Temari smirked.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie:__Since Naruto is going, I have to be there!_

_Truth:__Temari doesn't know that I like Sasuke. Yet._

_So I have to pretend I still like Naruto so she doesn't use my real crush against me._

*/*/*/*/*

"Fine," I agreed reluctantly, "but only if Naruto comes."

A chubby finger tapped my shoulder and pointed at my oozing taco.

The owner of the voice drooled, "Are you going to eat that?"

I looked behind me and saw Chouji Akimichi, Shikamaru's best friend. Before I could answer, he snatched up my lunch tray, even though he already had three of them, and sat next to his friend. He vacuumed up all of the food within seconds.

"Ugh, I don't know how Lazy Ass is friends with Fat Ass," Temari groaned.

While she glared at Chouji, I tried not to hyperventilate. There were now three different people at my normally vacant lunch table. Was this some sort of alternate universe?

I squeezed my eyes shut and willed all of them to go away. When I opened them, I saw two other people appear. Kankuro Subaku sat next to Chouji, and Gaara Subaku sat next to me.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie:__ I'm so glad that a shy girl like me made so many friends in one lunch period!_

*/*/*/*/*

"U-um, I have t-to go," I squeaked and dashed away.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth:__ I didn't even try to stutter._

_For some reason, it came automatically. _

_Weird._

*/*/*/*/*

I ran out of the cafeteria, to my locker, and grabbed my sketchbook. With the book clutched tightly to my chest, I fled the building and ran outside. The grass was still damp from yesterday's rain, but I sat down on it anyway. The sun warmed my skin, and the spring flowers perfumed the air. Overall, today bursted with beauty.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie:__ I find inspiration from the array of flowers surrounding me._

_I begin sketching the delicate daffodils protruding from the grass._

_The bright yellow color reminds me of how sunny Naruto is._

_Truth:__The flowers are pretty, but Ino would appreciate them more than me._

_I do love to draw, but my sketchbook is filled with people._

_I draw people not by how they act on the outside, but by how I think they really are._

_Everybody hides something about himself or herself from others, and I love finding the true person inside._

_I'm such a hypocrite._

*/*/*/*/*

After some thought, I decided to draw Sakura Haruno. Sure, I hated how she acted like a total whore for Sasuke. In fact, today her skirt was so short that her thong stuck out, which almost made me puke. However, I knew that a real human hid under Sakura's shallow exterior. That's when I remembered how she felt insecure about her boob size, that poor girl. That explained why she always showed off her butt.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth:__ I know what it's like to feel insecure…_

…_because of Kiba._

*/*/*/*/*

I squinted my eyes in thought, and my pencil flew across my sketchbook. After a couple of minutes, a sketch of a human Sakura looked back at me. She had a sweet smile, wore a little more modest clothing, and looked like somebody who I would want to be friends with.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth:__ Of course, I can never be friends with her._

_I can never be friends with anybody from Konoha High._

*/*/*/*/*

After turning to a fresh page of my sketchbook, I decided to sketch Sasuke. He was so stoic and quiet, and I knew more than anybody that quiet people usually have more to hide than others. However, it was also true that seeing their true selves was harder.

From the two conversations I've had with him so far, I knew that he happened to be quite observant; he noticed my "crush" on Naruto. For some reason, he also told me he wouldn't tell Naruto about it, even though we hardly knew each other.

"Why did you do that, Sasuke?" I whispered aloud as I stared at the blank page.

"Do what?" a voice above me asked.

Startled, I looked up and saw none other than Sasuke Uchiha standing above me. My face flushed, I stood up, and I began fidgeting with the spiral of my sketchbook.

"N-nothing!" I squeaked. "Um, w-why are you here?"

"I saw you go outside alone. I needed to tell you something, so I followed you," he stated.

"Oh, w-what is i-it?" I said softly, my eyes resting on the ground below me.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth:__ The school's lawn seriously needs a good mowing._

_I would like to volunteer Neji for that job; that bastard never lifts a finger at home._

*/*/*/*/*

"Give up on Naruto," Sasuke commanded.

My eyes drifted up and locked onto his. He stared at me intently, testing to see if I wanted to defy his orders.

"W-w-why?" I stuttered.

"He's an idiot; he'll never notice you," he said coldly.

"I k-know," I whispered, rubbing my eyes.

After a couple seconds of rubbing and discreetly poking my eye, a couple of genuine-looking tears spilled out. Success! However, I couldn't just suddenly give up on Naruto. I still needed someone to cover up for my real crush on Sasuke.

"M-maybe one d-day he'll notice me," I said softly, giving a sad smile, "so I w-won't give up."

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth:__ I should be an actress!_

*/*/*/*/*

"Hinata," Sasuke said coldly once more, "he's not worth your time."

"N-naruto is a nice person!" I argued.

He glared at me, annoyed by my defiance.

"Look, I just want you to give up on him on your own so you won't get hurt. I'm going to set him up with Sakura so she won't bother me anymore," he stated. "If you get over him, what do you want in return?"

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie:__I don't want to give up on Naruto!_

_I'll love him FOREVER, regardless of what Sasuke tells me._

*/*/*/*/*

"I w-want to go t-to the party t-tomorrow… to make n-new friends," I said quietly.

I figured that since Temari was already forcing me to go, I might as well bring Sasuke.

"Fine," he grunted. "I'll pick you up tomorrow at 9:30."

"T-thank you," I smiled.

"Just don't cry when Naruto and Sakura get together," he ordered.

The bell rang, and we both went inside.

* * *

"This is Ino Yamanaka. I'm not available at the moment. So leave a message, and I'll give you a call!" Ino's voice sang on her answering machine.

I paced around my room, cell phone in hand, and groaned. This was the fifth time I called her, and she still hadn't answered.

"Ino, pick up your phone!" I screamed into my phone then hung up.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie:__I'm incredibly happy with myself that I just set up a date with Sasuke for tomorrow._

*/*/*/*/*

"Hinata, you're making a racket. I suggest you stop acting like a four-year-old," Neji frowned as he stood in my doorway.

"Shut up, Neji," I snapped. "I suggest you stop acting like a bastard."

"What would your father think if he heard you speak such horrid language?" my older cousin asked, his nose poised toward the ceiling.

"You know he doesn't give a crap about me," I growled.

"It looks like somebody's headed toward her monthly menstruation courses," Neji smirked.

"Yeah, I'll go pick up some tampons for you later," I retorted.

"Watch how you act," Neji frowned. "That's why you're the failure of the Hyuuga family."

With that said, my stuck-up cousin disappeared to his own room. I continued to stare at the doorway, soaking in his words.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth:__ Failure…_

_Yup, that's me._

*/*/*/*/*

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! ^_^**

**Cookies to those who review! (Sorry, no raisins!)**

* * *


	4. Wish

**Wow, thank you guys for your awesome reviews!!**

**It really inspired me to continue writing this story!**

**I just hope I didn't disappoint you all with this chapter. (I wrote most of it when I was kinda depressed.)**

**Please Read and Review! ^_^**

* * *

After throwing another used tissue into the trash can next to the couch, I felt pathetic. However, my tears weren't caused by being called a failure by my own cousin. I was actually used to that; my family accused me of being worthless all of the time. My sorrowful emotions came from the movie I just finished watching.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: Most girls cry when they watch _The Notebook_._

_I cry when I watch _Charlotte's Web_._

_It's just so sad…_

…_and so am I._

*/*/*/*/*

When the credits started rolling, I turned off the TV and checked the time. It was already ten o' clock, exactly 24 hours away from the party. I seriously had second thoughts about going to the party, and I had nobody to talk to about it since Ino never called me back.

For a second, I almost wished that I had a friend that lived in Konoha.

What else was there to do but go to Burger Kage? Only the Hokage Value Meal—which consisted of a Chuunin-size burger, Genin-size fries, and a Chuunin-size drink for only three bucks—could cheer me up. Plus, it was the only restaurant in Konoha that was open until midnight. I grabbed Neji's car keys from the kitchen counter and headed toward the garage.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: Sneaking out of my house is quite a challenge._

_Truth__: Since everybody's so engrossed in their own lives, they never pay attention to me when I sneak out._

_Neji's doing his homework in his room. He's also listening to some crappy classical music turned up too loud because he thinks it gives him better grades._

_At this time, Hanabi always picks out her new slutty outfit for the next day, and nothing distracts her from that._

_My father's probably sipping martinis with half-naked women because he's out on a "business trip" for the rest of the month._

*/*/*/*/*

Since Neji's car radio was turned on a rap station on full blast, I almost crashed the car. The rapper chanted about engaging in intercourse on his neighbor's sidewalk. Ew.

I abruptly changed the station to the more appropriate Boys Like Girls. I vaguely remembered going to one of their concerts with Ino.

"_And you threw me up against the wall! Who said that it's better to have loved and lost? I wish that I have never loved at all!" _I sang along.

After I realized the lyrics reminded me of Kiba, I switched off the radio and drove in silence toward Burger Kage.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: I didn't bring my sketchbook in the car with me._

_I don't plan on drawing all of the other customers at Burger Kage, wondering what had caused their nightly fast food cravings._

*/*/*/*/*

When I arrived in the Burger Kage parking lot, I grabbed my sketchbook, pencil, and wallet. Stuffing all three into my arms, I walked into the fast food restaurant. The aroma of grease comforted me, and I immediately walked up to the counter.

"A H-hokage Value m-meal, please," I ordered, my eyes already wandering toward the other people in the restaurant

I spotted an old, portly man reading the newspaper and munching on a Jonin-size burger in the far corner. On the other side of the room, two drunk college guys kept fumbling their French fries. My fingers itched to sketch them all.

"Hn, I didn't think you had the guts to sneak out this late," a familiar voice said.

I tore my eyes away from the other customers and took a good look at the cashier.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: I have great luck!_

*/*/*/*/*

"S-sasuke?" I squeaked. "You-"

"That'll be three bucks," he interrupted.

I quickly handed him the cash and went back to stuttering, "You work h-here at night?"

"Yeah, I have to deal with less customers in this shift," he replied as he handed me my tray.

"T-thank you," I nodded and accepted my food. "Oh, about t-the party, I don't think I c-can go anymore."

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: While in the car, I had decided that I couldn't risk getting attention by going to the party, especially going to the party with someone as popular as Sasuke._

_Lie__: I like my decision._

*/*/*/*/*

"My break's in fifteen minutes. I'll meet you outside the front door," Sasuke stated, ignoring my earlier comment.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: All I'm capable of doing at the moment is nodding and obeying._

_For some reason, it's as if I'm turning into who I'm pretending to be._

_It's as if I'm shy… for real._

_This is frickin' scaring me!_

*/*/*/*/*

I retreated to the back of the restaurant with my tray in a death-grip. After scarfing down half of my fries, I opened my sketchbook and studied the old, portly man. Of course, I had to use my peripheral vision or else I'd look like a stalker.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: I don't have any experience stalking._

_In fact, I've never stalked anybody in my life, especially not Kiba._

*/*/*/*/*

He had gray, messy hair pulled back into a sloppy ponytail, which seemed to be an odd hairstyle for a guy his age. I then decided to study his face and read his expressions. That's when I noticed that the old man hid a porn magazine behind his newspaper, which explained why he kept drooling.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: My eyes are straining to find the real person inside of the old pervert._

_However, my concentration goes to zero when old guys start glancing up at me while they're looking at porn and drooling._

*/*/*/*/*

I decided to just go outside and wait for Sasuke. I stuffed my food inside the paper bag and put my tray in the stack on top of the trash cans. The clock announced 10:27 p.m., which meant I still had three more minutes. I walked out the front door and sat on the curb. After searching the sky for a shooting star, I heard the door open.

"H-hello," I said softly when I saw Sasuke lean against Burger Kage's brick wall. "How a-are you?"

"I've been better," he said flatly.

"O-oh," I squeaked. "Um, w-why did you w-want to meet me h-here?"

"You have to go," he stated, glaring me down.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: For a second, I see a glimpse of something…_

…_something vulnerable._

*/*/*/*/*

"To w-what?" I squeaked.

"The party," he explained. "You have to go."

"W-why?" I asked.

"What's with all of these questions? I'm not a damn quiz!" Sasuke suddenly snapped. "My life is so fucked up, and I don't need you making it worse! All I'm asking is for you to go so you can help me hook Sakura and Naruto up! Those two are ALWAYS fucking bothering me! They never leave me alone! Do you know what that's like? DO YOU? No, you have it fucking easy because NOBODY pays attention to you! Why does everybody like ME anyway? I HATE myself, and I swear I'll pull some serious shit-"

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: I wasn't scared at all._

_I mean, it was just a reflex._

_Kind of._

*/*/*/*/*

"SHIT!" Sasuke groaned.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: Fine, it was more than a reflex._

_I was desperate; I just HAD to kick him in the balls._

_I hope this doesn't affect Sasuke's view on me as a wallflower…_

*/*/*/*/*

"Sasuke!" I squeaked. "S-sorry!"

He bent over in pain, and I blushed to a deep shade of red. Another concern crept into my mind; I just acted OOC again.

It was a good thing that Sasuke was more concerned about his pain than my split personality. He remained hunched, muttering swear words that put Neji's rap music to shame.

"You're going to the party," he finally managed to growl.

"I c-can't," I whispered.

"You owe me. You're going," he commanded.

"I'm s-sorry I caused you p-pain," I said softly, "but I think s-something deeper inside of y-you is hurting more."

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: Every single female at school is in love with Sasuke Uchiha for only his looks, except for me._

_When I first set my eyes on him, I didn't see a complete hottie._

_I saw a person who was hurting on the inside from a reason nobody knew about._

_Just like me._

_I do have to admit I saw his attractiveness afterwards, which happened to be a bonus._

*/*/*/*/*

"I'll pick you up at 9:30," Sasuke said coldly, once again ignoring me.

He walked back into Burger Kage, and I decided to eat the rest of my Hokage Value Meal. Looking up to the sky once more, I saw a shooting star.

"I wish there would be no more lies," I whispered aloud, as if the star could hear my plea, "from anybody. I don't want to lie anymore, and I don't want people lying to me. Sasuke… Sakura… even my father… I know that they're all hiding something like I am. Why do we always hide? Why is the truth so hard?"

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: Of course, the star heard me and decided to give me the answers to my questions!_

_It also gave me $5 and a pair of socks._

_Truth__: Nobody heard me._

_I'm just sitting on the curb next to Burger Kage._

_Alone._

_I'm also alone when I drive in the car back to my house._

*/*/*/*/*

I switched Neji's radio back to the crude rap station. With my sketchbook, Neji's car keys, and a bag of leftover fries, I tiptoed over to the front door of my house.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: Sneaking in is just as easy as sneaking out._

*/*/*/*/*

"Hinata, where have you been?" Neji demanded.

His arms crossed, his foot tapped, and his eyes glared at me. I just got back from my midnight snack at Burger Kage, and I was already assaulted the minute I stepped into the house. Suddenly, I felt my energy drain, and I decided I couldn't summon my rage. For some reason, I felt depressed.

"Leave me alone," I mumbled. "Just go sleep with your girlfriend TenTen."

I shoved the car keys into my cousin's hands and stomped up the stairs.

"Once a failure, always a failure," he muttered back.

*/*/*/*/*

_That's the truth._

*/*/*/*/*

* * *

That morning, the car ride was silent as usual. Neji had turned his radio station to classical music again so he could get into the mood for school. The tension between us was thick, even though an innocent song like "Adagio Cantabile" played.

When I finally got into class, I truly felt like a naturally quiet person; I didn't want to talk to anybody. Call it emo, angst, or whatever. I just hated everybody at the moment, including myself.

The next period happened to be gym, one of my least favorite classes. Gai-sensei was my poor excuse for a teacher, and he made us run around the track 20 times. My lungs felt they were about to burst, but at least I had time to think for myself. However, my thoughts were interrupted.

"Gai-sensei! I'm not going to run 20 laps, but 200 laps!" Lee cried out.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: Lee isn't the teacher's pet._

_He doesn't have huge eyebrows either._

*/*/*/*/*

"There's no way I'm going to let Bushy Brows beat me!" Naruto declared.

I watched the two outcasts race each other across the track. They actually possessed great speed and stamina. Unfortunately, in their haste to beat each other, they didn't notice the pathetic jogger named Hinata Hyuuga that they knocked down.

I fell flat on my face, groaned, and wished I could just keep lying down. A person ran up to me and stopped.

"Don't tell me you're lazier than Shikamaru," I heard Temari say. "Get up; I need to talk to you."

"Fine," I grumbled after I reluctantly pulled myself off of the ground.

"No offense, but Naruto is a loser," she began as we started jogging, "but I invited him to the party for you."

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: Whoot! I'm so pumped for the party now that Naruto's attending!_

*/*/*/*/*

"Thanks," I muttered, failing miserably at faking enthusiasm.

"Sakura's going too; you'll have some competition," she continued. "So don't come crying to me about it."

"I know," I muttered again.

Temari turned to me and asked with an eyebrow raised, "What's wrong with you?"

"Everything," I stated.

*/*/*/*/*

_It's pathetic AND the truth._

*/*/*/*/*

She rolled her eyes, "If you're still pouting over Kiba, you should know that Konoha High is crawling with hotties. I don't even know why you're on Team Naruto. If you ask me, somebody like Sasuke would be a better catch."

"Um, 'Team Naruto?' Like Team Jacob and Team Edward?" I laughed, ignoring the comment about Sasuke. "I bet you're a _Twilight_ fan!"

"I don't have time to read; I'm too busy trying to get Shikamaru off of his lazy ass," she shook her head.

"You guys are good together," I smiled.

"Thanks," Temari smiled back.

Suddenly, Lee and Naruto trampled over me again. Temari tripped Naruto and Lee.

"Sorry, it was an accident," she smirked.

She offered me a hand to get up, and I gladly accepted it.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: I've forgotten what it's like to make friends, but I think that Temari and I are becoming close._

_Friends make me… happy._

_Now all I need to do is find out why my best friend Ino never called me back!_

*/*/*/*/*

"You're such a doormat; I can't believe you let Naruto walk all over you," she rolled her eyes.

"He didn't walk over me!" I protested. "He ran over me!"

* * *

When I arrived in language arts, a folded piece of paper sat on my desk. After shifting my eyes across the room, I sat down and opened it.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: It said-_

"_Dearest Hinata,_

_I'm sorry for being such a jerk last night._

_You were right; there's something that's been hurting me._

_It's you, Hinata!_

_I get so frustrated when I see you because I wish you loved me, not Naruto!_

_He doesn't deserve a beautiful girl like you!_

_I hate parties, but I'm glad that you're going with me, even if you don't want to anymore._

_Love,_

_Sasuke"_

_Truth__: It said-_

"_Meet me outside during lunch."_

*/*/*/*/*

* * *

**The song in this chapter is called "Up Against the Wall" by Boys Like Girls.**

**I listen to it all the time when I'm sad! T_T**


	5. Party People

**Sorry for not updating in a while!**

**I had a massive case of writer's block, and math homework has really eaten up my spare time. T_T**

**So I decided to write this... thing.**

**I tried to make it long-ish to make up for the lack of quality haha.**

**I hope you enjoy it anyway! ^_^**

* * *

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth/Lie:_

_Explanation_

*/*/*/*/*

Reality

* * *

I read the note that had been left on my desk over a couple of times. Judging by the chicken scratch that only boys could produce, I assumed it was Sasuke's handwriting. After all, he was the only guy that ever talked to me except for Naruto.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: And Kiba…_

…_but we don't talk anymore. _

_Of course._

*/*/*/*/*

I searched the language arts room for Sasuke. I saw Sakura and Naruto fighting, as usual. Some students were finishing their homework that was due today. Other students flirted, talked, laughed, socialized, and completed other normal teenager activities. A girl started reapplying her eyeliner, and a guy took out his cell phone to text. Kakashi-sensei was sitting at his desk, reading one of his perverted books. The whole language arts room bursted with life, but Sasuke was absent.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: This isn't weird at all._

_Neither is the relationship between Lee and Guy-sensei._

*/*/*/*/*

"Where's Sasuke?" Sakura pouted, crossing her arms. "I wanted to show him my new shimmer lip gloss."

"Hey, Sakura, I'll taste your lip gloss for Sasuke!" Naruto grinned.

"Ew, go screw a frog!" she screamed as she punched his face.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: Well, we ARE bisecting frogs in biology this week…_

*/*/*/*/*

"All right, settle down class," Kakashi-sensei sighed with his nose still stuck in his perverted book.

After surveying the room once more, I detected no sign of Sasuke. Now that I thought of it, I hadn't seen him in the hallways either. This made me wonder how he managed to leave a note on my desk. I tucked the folded note into my oversized sweatshirt pocket and decided to forget about it for a while.

My thoughts led to the party tonight. Since I was forced by both Sasuke and Temari, I had no choice but to attend. I wondered if I should actually dress up and have fun, or retreat back into my shy disguise. My fingers combed through my hair as I contemplated.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: Back in Suna, my hair used to be down all the way to my butt._

_Kiba loved my long, luxurious hair (and my butt)._

_Sometimes he used to pet it, as if I was his dog Akamaru._

_Before attending Konoha High, I grabbed a pair of scissors, locked myself into the bathroom, and slashed it all off._

_Now it's this poofy, frizzy mess above my shoulders._

_Lie__: It also makes me look hotter than Guy-sensei._

*/*/*/*/*

"Pst. Hinata," Naruto whispered as he threw an eraser at my head to get my attention. "I need to borrow a sheet of paper."

"N-naruto?" I squeaked and turned around.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: Naruto isn't an idiot._

_The eraser didn't hit me in the eye._

_Truth__: Ow._

_Now I need to go to the nurse's office._

*/*/*/*/*

"K-kakashi-sensei?" I asked, my hand gingerly raised in the air.

"Yes, Hinata?" Kakashi-sensei asked as he turned away from the board.

I said softly, "M-may I please g-go to the nurse? I… I feel a l-little nauseous."

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: I lied so I wouldn't get Naruto in trouble for hitting me in the eye with his eraser._

_Lie__: After all, I love the stupid bastard._

*/*/*/*/*

"Of course," he chirped and handed me a pass. "Read chapters 6-8 in Moby Dick for homework."

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: I think the only reason why Kakashi-sensei picked that book was because it has the word "dick" in it._

*/*/*/*/*

"T-thank you, Kakashi-sensei," I squeaked.

As I walked out the door, I heard Naruto whisper to Sakura, "Hey, Sakura, can I borrow a piece of paper?"

I wandered through the empty halls and soaked in the bliss of being free. Now that nobody could watch me, I could do whatever I wanted. With this thought, I decided to dance on my way to the nurse's office.

I attempted to tap dance next to the water fountains that only worked on Wednesdays. After passing the computer lab, I pretended to be a ballerina. After finishing my performance with a bow to the lockers, I skipped the rest of the way to the nurse's office.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: It feels great to be the true Hinata._

_I just wish I could do it all of the time._

*/*/*/*/*

* * *

"S-sasuke?" I called out.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: I was disappointed I didn't get to eat the cafeteria's UFOs (unidentified fried objects)._

_Oh, and I absolutely hated to miss the canned fruit delicacies that tasted like metal._

_Truth__: Even though my stomach rumbled from the lack of "lunch," I had other things to worry about:_

_The note. _

_Sasuke. _

_Ino. _

_Kiba. _

_Me._

*/*/*/*/*

Just like the note told me, I was outside during lunchtime. Temari wanted me to sit with her and the guys, but I just used the excuse from language arts; I felt nauseous.

I saw a guy from my language arts class sitting outside too. He stared at me, and I looked away. I studied the blades of grass until he walked back inside the school.

Since it was taking a while for Sasuke to arrive, I ached to start drawing. In fact, I already knew my next subject would be Kakashi-sensei. After all, I wanted to explore the possibilities of why he read perverted books all of the time. Maybe if I bought him some volumes of Icha Icha Tactics, he'd give me extra credit.

I searched through my messenger bag, but I realized I had left my sketchbook at home. Frustrated, I just decided to read my Moby Dick assignment for language arts. I took the book out of my bag and sat with my back to a tree.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: If you ever need a cure for your insom__nia, read __Moby Dick__._

*/*/*/*/*

* * *

"Ow!" I shrieked as I felt somebody kick me. "What was that for?"

"I can't believe you skipped class to take a nap," Neji frowned. "No wonder you're a failure."

"Go away," I grumbled.

I didn't want to take any more of Neji's crap. I was already in a terrible mood from waking up from my blissful nap.

"Fine," he spat as he left. "Get your own ride home."

Neji left, and I decided not to follow him. I hated to hear his insanely loud rap station in the afternoons anyway. I stuffed Moby Dick into my bag in anger. Clutching my messenger bag, I got up from my place under the tree. The folded note fell out of my oversized sweatshirt pocket. I picked it up, read it, and realized something.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: Sasuke never came…_

…_he never cared._

_He never cared about me._

_Just like Kiba…_

_Sasuke…_

_Kiba…_

_I'm not sure if there's even a difference between them, between every guy._

_Lie__: I promise to not kick Sasuke in the balls the next time I see him._

*/*/*/*/*

Upset, I tore the note into small, unrecognizable pieces. Then I groaned because I forced myself to pick up all the pieces since I hated littering.

"Hey, Hinata," I heard Temari call from a distance.

As she walked closer, I saw that she looked super pissed, perhaps almost as angry as I felt.

"Shikamaru's trying to talk me out of throwing the party just because he'd rather sleep on his lazy ass," she frowned. "Look, it's not my fault that his parents are leaving at 9:30, so the party has to start at 10. He already gets more than enough sleep during class."

"Guys suck," I gritted my teeth, "especially Sasuke."

"What do you mean?" she raised an eyebrow.

"H-he just sucks," I hissed.

"You seem pissed," Temari noted.

I exploded, "I'm the only girl who actually g-gives a crap about the real him, not just his hot exterior. Yet, he t-treats me like crap by not even s-showing up! I w-waited the whole lunch period for him! I knew I s-shouldn't have drawn attention to myself. I knew h-he was like Kiba. Why am I s-so stupid?"

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: I stuttered on purpose._

_Truth__: I don't know who I am anymore._

_Maybe I'm the shy, Konoha High Hinata; maybe I'm the playful, Suna High Hinata._

_I don't know._

*/*/*/*/*

"You'd only be stupid if you liked Naruto, which you apparently don't," Temari commented. "How did you know to meet Sasuke for lunch?"

"He left a note on my desk," I replied, pointing to the remnants of shredded paper I still needed to pick up from the ground.

"Wow, and I thought Gaara had anger management issues," she murmured.

"Sasuke was going to take me to the party!" I exclaimed angrily. "I can't believe I trusted that jerk!"

She frowned, "I'm going through all of this trouble to throw a party, and I'm not going to let some asshole ruin it for you. Do you know where Sasuke is?"

I shook my head, "He wasn't in school today."

My new friend was silent for a moment, and then she whacked me on the head.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: Temari doesn't hit like a girl._

*/*/*/*/*

"Then how could've the note been from Sasuke if he wasn't here to give it to you?" she laughed.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: I'm so smart that I make Naruto look dumb._

_Truth: The other guy I saw outside must have put the note on my desk by accident._

_He probably meant to give it to someone else._

_After all, nobody really knows are cares where I sit, so he wouldn't have known it was my desk._

_Wow._

*/*/*/*/*

* * *

Even though Sasuke didn't show up at school, I decided to get ready for the party anyway. If he didn't show up to pick me up, I would go by myself and just take Neji's car. After all, I did promise Temari I would go.

The question of the day was: what do I wear? Should I actually go through the whole girly makeover thing I usually did before parties? Did I want to straighten my hair, wear my new miniskirt, and flirt with random guys? Being my old self sounded so appealing that I considered breaking out my array of teen makeover magazines.

However, my actions today stopped me in my tracks. I had gone berserk when I thought Sasuke had betrayed me. I even started stuttering, which didn't make any sense. If I attracted attention through my looks, I could get hurt again. Then I would go all crazy.

After taking a shower, I decided to change into my favorite blue sweatshirt. It was about five sizes too big, but amazingly comfy.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: Oh, and of course I put on some pants too._

_Can't go anywhere without pants!_

*/*/*/*/*

After verifying the time as 9:30, I decided to sneak outside so Neji and Hanabi wouldn't notice me leaving.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: Sasuke's shiny, new convertible is pulled up on our driveway._

_It's jet black, just like his eyes._

_He winks at me, and I hop inside._

*/*/*/*/*

I double-checked to see some sort of transportation, but it looked like Sasuke walked to my house on foot.

"S-sasuke?" I squeaked.

"I don't have a car," he stated. "Can we use yours?"

I was confused as to why the great Sasuke Uchiha didn't own a car, but I nodded, ran back inside, and grabbed Neji's car keys. Sasuke took the car keys from me told me he would drive. I climbed in the shotgun seat.

"You w-weren't at school today," I whispered, breaking the silence between us.

"I had to work an extra shift at Burger Kage," he grunted.

"I'm s-sorry about l-last night," I said softly. "I j-just thought-"

He turned to me, "What? You thought you knew me? You don't."

"I k-know," I admitted, "but if y-you just let me-"

"Look, I don't even know you," Sasuke interrupted. "You seem so shy and quiet, but there are times when you act so… different. What are you hiding?"

"N-nothing!" I shouted.

*/*/*/*/*

_Wow, that's the biggest lie ever._

_In fact, it's a wonder how my nose doesn't grow big like Pinocchio's._

_I guess my lies correspond to the bagginess of my sweatshirts._

*/*/*/*/*

Sasuke glared at me, but he didn't reply. Silence engulfed the car, and I prayed to myself that he believed me. I watched as Sasuke turned on the radio in Neji's car. Before I could stop him, the radio immediately started blaring out swear words. I didn't fully understand the lyrics, but it had to do with engaging in intercouse with a teacher. Sasuke immediately turned the radio off.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: This isn't awkward or anything._

*/*/*/*/*

After a while, he began to speak again, "When we get there, I want you to hang out with Naruto. If you can, try to flirt a little. Get him to drink a little too. I'll do the same with Sakura. When we think they're drunk enough, we'll lead them into a bathroom, and then lock them both in."

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: I know for a fact that his plan will never work._

_However, I nod my head in agreement._

_I just have to._

*/*/*/*/*

We both exited the car and entered the house. I was immediately overwhelmed by the loud music, which was almost as loud as Neji's rap station. Techno, but mostly hip-hop, played through the speakers that had been strategically placed throughout the house.

The girls dressed in some of the sluttiest ensembles I've ever seen. To my disgust, I could practically see their thongs; their miniskirts were nonexistent. The guys, like me, wore huge sweatshirts. Their cargo pants were so baggy that I wondered how their pants didn't fall down without a belt. Some of them had combinations of hats and sunglasses, as if they were rapper wannabes. The absurdness of everyone's outfits didn't surpise me; I'd seen it all in Suna.

The amount of people left me speechless. In fact, practically the whole population of Konoha High had been crammed into Shikamaru's house.

People.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: I am NOT going to hyperventilate._

_I will breathe normally._

_Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale._

*/*/*/*/*

"I can't do this!" I cried and was about to step out of the door.

However, Sasuke just grabbed my arm and turned me around.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: He touched me!! He actually touched me!!_

*/*/*/*/*

"Naruto usually hangs around the keg," he stated and let go of me.

I wandered around the house, wondering where the keg could be. I didn't even know how Temari had access to a keg. After aimlessly walking around, I tripped over a couple on the floor. They glared at me since I interrupted their make-out session. I blushed, apologized, and headed toward where most of the people had gathered.

"Chug! Chug! Chug!" the crowd chanted.

I looked at the blonde guy who emptied a tequila bottle in his mouth. He gulped the whole thing up, looking like he was going to barf any second. However, a smile graced his lips from all of the attention he was getting.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: At least I don't have to worry about getting Naruto drunk._

*/*/*/*/*

After Naruto was finished gulping down the alcohol, a guy next to him did the same thing. The crowd turned their attention to the latter.

"Hinata!" Naruto slurred gleefully, pulling me into a hug. "I lurve you!"

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: No, Naruto, I love you more!_

_I love you and your breath that reeks of alcohol!_

*/*/*/*/*

"L-let's go somewhere p-private," I tried to say seductively as I wiggled myself out of his embrace.

My attempt at flirting was reduced by the stutter had somehow slipped in. However, he didn't seem to notice; he just nodded and followed me as I tried to search for a bathroom. Naruto had tripped over the same couple I had tripped over earlier. I apologized, helped Naruto up, and became desperate to find the bathroom. Shikamaru practically lived in a mansion; his house resembled a maze.

Finally, after 10 minutes, I found the bathroom. The people surrounding us bumped us around. I finally grabbed hold of the bathroom door and shut it.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: I didn't lock myself in the pitch-black bathroom, accidentally leaving Naruto passed out in the crowd._

*/*/*/*/*

"Help! Somebody please open the door!" I cried, banging on the bathroom door.

It was dark in there, and I fumbled around for the light switch. I ran into the toilet, with the lid thankfully shut. I then tripped and fell inside the bathtub. A bar of soap fell on my head, and I groaned. My search for the light switch ended in failure.

Suddenly, the light seemingly snapped on by itself. I screamed when I saw Sasuke Uchiha at the light switch. His eyes were red, as if he'd been crying.

"W-what are you d-doing here?" I gasped.

"Why are you here? I thought I locked the door," he frowned.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: By the smell of his breath, I can tell he's drunk._

_I guess I forgot that people get drunk at parties._

_It's been so long since I've been to one._

*/*/*/*/*

"You're drunk," I realized. "How many drinks did you have?"

Sasuke had then curled up into a small ball in the corner of the bathroom. After climbing out of the bathtub, I placed the soap back into its original position. I sat next to Sasuke, but he didn't answer me. Instead, he put his face into his hands.

"It's all Itachi's fault," he said, muffled by his hands. "He always ruins everything."

I wasn't sure who Itachi was, perhaps one of Sasuke's former girlfriends? However, I hardly believed Sasuke had ever had a girlfriend before. To me, he seemed like the type of person who hated it when people got close to him. Well, maybe I just felt that way because he pushed me away earlier.

"Did Itachi give you any drinks?" I asked softly. "Sasuke? How many did you have?"

"No," he laughed without humor, "Itachi killed them; he killed them all. There was so much blood when I came home. I didn't know people had so much blood in them. I still don't know anything. Why? Why did he do it? That damn bastard. I'll kill him too. I hope he bleeds as much as they did."

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: That comment wasn't creepy at all._

_Neither are Guy-sensei's eyebrows._

*/*/*/*/*

Deciding to play along, I asked, "Who did Itachi kill?"

"My parents," he elaborated. "Now I have to spend my whole life working at that dump, Burger Kage, for money."

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: Sasuke's parents were murdered…_

_He has nobody to support him, so he has to make a living by himself._

_So that's why he doesn't own a car._

_I think that's what he's been hiding from everybody._

_The true Sasuke is sad, angry, and strangely… vulnerable._

*/*/*/*/*

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I had no idea."

I looked into his ebony eyes and saw genuine sorrow. Yes, Sasuke held a burden inside of him, a burden that he didn't want to share with anybody else. He tried to replace his feelings by being emotionless; he lied to himself. Just like me, Sasuke was a liar. However, aren't we all?

"Why am I telling you this?" Sasuke looked away and laughed. "I'm drunk, aren't I?"

Immediately after he said that, he passed out. His head leaned on my shoulder, which I normally would have been excited about. However, for some reason I didn't go all fangirl on him.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: Even though he was drunk, Sasuke just spilled his life out to me._

_He trusted me._

_I… I haven't told him anything._

_I don't trust him._

_I've been lying this whole time to him._

_I'm just that- a liar._

_A liar who doesn't deserve someone like him._

_I don't deserve anybody._

_Kiba was right._

*/*/*/*/*

I gently set Sasuke down on the floor and tried banging on the bathroom door again. The music must have been turned up loud since nobody heard me. When I was about to give up, an idea popped into my head. I then cursed myself for being so stupid; I had a cell phone with me! Since I didn't know Temari's or anybody's number who attended the party, I reluctantly dialed the only Konoha number I knew, my house.

"Hyuuga Residence. Neji Hyuuga speaking," my cousin picked up.

"Neji? It's Hinata. I kind of snuck out to go to a party. Can you pick me up?" I pleaded.

"A failure must correct his own mistakes," he responded. "It's not my problem you snuck out. Anyway, I can't even help you; you took my car."

*/*/*/*/*

_True. Why does Neji always have to be right?_

*/*/*/*/*

After that, Neji abruptly hung up, leaving me in tears. His brutal honesty always damaged my pride. Back in Suna, I used to cry every night. I still cried in Konoha, but now I always wiped away my tears. I wasn't going to get depressed just because my cousin didn't care for me one bit.

"What did I do to deserve this?" I muttered to myself.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: I lied. That's what I did._

*/*/*/*/*

I cursed the bathroom door and tried to unlock it. However, the doorknob remained stuck. After pounding on it a couple of more times, I finally decided to give up. Slumped next to the door, I studied Sasuke. He looked so peaceful; he wasn't even aware he was stuck inside a bathroom with me. I sighed and looked at my phone. The time stated it was already half an hour past midnight. How long did parties last?

After another hour of waiting, I dialed Ino's number. It wouldn't hurt to try. As expected, she never picked up, and I had no idea what to do. After that, my phone died, and I threw it across the bathroom. It fell into the tub, breaking in half.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: This doesn't suck._

*/*/*/*/*

* * *

Suddenly, somebody jiggled the doorknob on the other side of the door. At first I thought it was my imagination, so I ignored it. I continued to lay down next to Sasuke, staring at the cracks in the ceiling. The cracks connected to form shapes and figures. One of them looked like a dog, which unfortunately reminded me of Kiba.

"Seriously, who's been in here? I've been waiting to go twenty minutes ago!" I heard Temari complain.

As if broken from a trance, I shot up and cried, "It's Hinata! The lock is broken!"

"Wow, how long have you been in there?" she asked.

"I don't know, but is the party over yet?" I questioned, my ear pressed to the door.

"Well, Shikamaru's trying to drag the unconscious people out, but other than that, everyone's gone," Temari explained. "Hang on; I'll get Shikamaru to fix the door."

After waiting for a couple of more minutes, the door was pried open, and I hugged Temari.

"Thank you!" I cried.

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: I'm so happy, I could pee in my pants and not care!_

*/*/*/*/*

"Wow, it looks like you've been playing with men again," she teased and pointed at Sasuke, still unconscious.

Blushing, I mumbled, "He passed out from drinking too much."

"I told you this party was troublesome," Shikamaru yawned. "My mom's going to kill me if I don't clean up the mess everyone made before she gets home."

"First," Temari said, "we need to wake up this lump."

She kicked Sasuke, and he groaned. He slowly got up, holding his head and looked around, clearly confused. I took his hand to help him stand, and he rubbed his temples.

"I have a massive hangover," he groaned.

"Aw, suck it up, you baby," Temari rolled her eyes.

They glared at each other until Shikamaru sighed loudly. He took Temari away to help clean the rest of the house. I would have offered to help too, but I still had to get Sasuke home.

"I'll drive you h-home," I said quietly. "Where do y-you live?"

*/*/*/*/*

_Truth__: The ride home was uneventful._

_Sasuke disappeared into his apartment, which belonged to an old, dilapidated building._

_I disappeared inside myself._

*/*/*/*/*

* * *

"You snuck out," Neji stated, arms crossed and foot tapping, as I opened the door. "Do you know what time it is? It's five in the morning, Hinata. You're lucky that we don't have school today."

"You're not my mom," I grumbled, "even though you look like a girl."

"However, I'm in charge of you when your father is away," he continued, ignoring my insult. "In fact, I want to ground you, but that would be pointless since you don't have any friends to go out with. So your punishment will be the opposite; you're not allowed inside this house for the weekend."

"What?" I cried. "That's crazy! Where am I supposed to go?"

"That's for you to figure out," Neji said, his nose stuck in the air.

He slammed the door in my face.

*/*/*/*/*

_Lie__: I love my life._

*/*/*/*/*


End file.
